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Leopold Chen

The Chinese embassy in Britain has slammed London’s “malicious” plan to expand an immigration pathway for Hongkongers after the sentencing of former media boss Jimmy Lai Chee-ying to 20 years in prison, accusing the UK of “manipulating” the issue.
A spokesman for the Chinese embassy on Tuesday urged the UK government to stop interfering in China’s domestic affairs after it expanded the British National (Overseas) visa scheme in response to Lai’s sentencing.
“The UK’s previous actions of this nature have already caused some misled Hong Kong residents to leave their homes, only to face discrimination and financial hardship upon arriving in the UK, effectively becoming ‘second-class citizens’,” he said.
“The current move to further manipulate the BN(O) issue is a contemptible tactic with malicious intent.”


The embassy also urged London to stop its “political manipulation” or risk “humiliating itself and reaping the bitter fruits of its own actions”.
The United Kingdom’s Home Office on Monday announced that adult children of BN(O) passport holders, who were under 18 at the time of Hong Kong’s handover to China, would be independently eligible to emigrate to Britain under an expansion of the scheme.
The UK introduced the migration pathway for Hongkongers in January 2021 in response to the Beijing-imposed national security law.
BN(O) visa holders may live, work and study in Britain, with the option to apply for permanent residency after five years, followed by citizenship after another year.
The expansion means that Hongkongers born between 1979 and 1997 whose parents did not apply to the BN(O) scheme on their behalf before the handover are now eligible.
Since the BN(O) route was launched, more than 230,000 people have been granted a visa and almost 170,000 have moved to Britain, according to the UK government.
Several Western countries – including the United States, Britain and Australia – alongside the European Union, criticised the Hong Kong court’s sentence on Lai.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio denounced the sentence as “an unjust and tragic conclusion” and called for Lai to be granted a “humanitarian parole”.

Canadian Minister of Foreign Affairs Anita Anand said in a social media post: “Mr Lai is 78 years old and in poor health and we call for his immediate humanitarian release. Canada will continue to support free and independent media worldwide.”
On Tuesday, United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Turk also weighed in on the case, calling for Lai’s release on humanitarian grounds, including his advanced age, physical condition and the time he had already spent in jail.
“This outcome highlights how the vague and overly broad provisions of Hong Kong’s national security legislation can lead to being interpreted and enforced in violation of Hong Kong’s international human rights obligations,” he said.
“This verdict needs to be promptly quashed as incompatible with international law.”
Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Lin Jian described the remarks by countries and organisations critical of the sentence as “groundless and malicious”, adding that Beijing had lodged complaints to the relevant countries and organisations.
“The rule of law in Hong Kong is unshakeable and no foreign country has the right to make irresponsible remarks,” Lin said.


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British National (Overseas) passport

China’s UK embassy slams BN(O) expansion for ‘manipulating’ Jimmy Lai case

Hongkongers born between 1979 and 1997 whose parents did not apply to the BN(O) scheme on their behalf before the handover are now eligible. Photo: Fung Chang

The Chinese embassy in Britain has accused the UK of exploiting the outcome of the Jimmy Lai case and interfering in China’s domestic affairs. Photo: AFP

UK expands BN(O) scheme to more Hongkongers following Jimmy Lai sentencing

People walk past skyscrapers and office buildings in London. Photo: AFP

The initial BN(O) scheme was introduced in 2021 in response to Beijing’s imposition of the national security law. Photo: AP

Labour MPs urge UK to protect Hong Kong BN(O) migrants from residency reforms

Labour MPs have called on the UK government to protect Hongkongers from stricter residency rules under the proposed BN(O) visa overhaul. Photo: EPA-EFE

The BN(O) scheme has granted visas to more than 238,000 Hongkongers and helped 175,000 move to the UK as of September this year. Photo: Fung Chang

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Embassy spokesman condemns ‘malicious’ move to expand migration pathway and accuses Britain of interfering in China’s domestic affairs


Embassy spokesman condemns ‘malicious’ move to expand migration pathway and accuses Britain of interfering in China’s domestic affairs.


China’s UK embassy slams BN(O) expansion for ‘manipulating’ Jimmy Lai case

.css-1c6uqr6{color:inherit;font-weight:inherit;font-size:inherit;font-family:inherit;line-height:inherit;overflow-wrap:break-word;}Embassy spokesman condemns ‘malicious’ move to expand migration pathway and accuses Britain of interfering in China’s domestic affairs

Embassy spokesman condemns ‘malicious’ move to expand migration pathway and accuses Britain of interfering in China’s domestic affairs